‘It’s just a friction burn. It’s bleeding a little so best I cover it up.’
She nodded and went to fetch what he’d asked for. The dressings, along with a roll of tape and some scissors, were right at the top of the bag. Jack must have been thinking ahead.
‘Okay, will you tape these on for me, please? Right around the edge so that there are no openings anywhere.’
Couldn’t Sue do it? The temptation to run away and hide from his body almost made her ask. But her sister was out there having a baby, and Cass had already decided she’d do whatever it took.
He held the gauze in place and she taped around it for him. Trying not to notice the fresh smell of soap on skin. Trying not to think about how close he was, or how perfect.
‘Thanks. That’s great.’ He nodded his approval and Cass stepped back, almost colliding with the linen basket. Then, thankfully, he pulled the T-shirt over his head.
‘Ready?’ His smile held all of the warmth that she could want for Lynette. Which happened to be a great deal more than Cass could deal with.
‘Yes. I’m ready.’ Cass had told herself that this was going to be the best night of her life. Being with Lynette all the way, seeing her nephew being born. Now, all she could feel was fear, for everything that could go wrong.
* * *
He was calm and quiet, soothing Lynette when the contractions eased and helping her concentrate and breathe when they came again. When Lynette became frightened and overwhelmed, he was there with reassurance and encouragement. When she wanted to change position, he let her lean on him. When she needed pain relief, he was there with the Entonox.
Lynette seemed almost serene when she wasn’t crying in pain, switching from one to the other with astonishing rapidity.
‘Is this right?’ Cass mouthed the words to Jack.
Jack’s gaze flipped to the portable monitors at Lynette’s side. ‘Yeah, we’re okay.’
‘It’s so fast...’ Cass had been preparing for a long haul, but it had barely been an hour since she’d woken him up and already he was telling Lynette that they were nearly there.
‘That’s a good thing. Lynette’s fine and so is the baby.’
Ten minutes later, her nephew was born. Jack cleared his mouth, rubbing his chest gently. Everyone held their breath and then the little man began to cry. Lynette squeezed Cass’s hand so tight that she thought she was going to break her fingers.
‘Say hello to your mum...’ Jack laid the baby on Lynette’s chest and covered him over with a towel. The two women lay on the bed together, cradling the baby, in a daze of happiness.
* * *
Suddenly, it was all perfect. Martin had welcomed the newest member of the village to the world, and Sue went to make tea and toast. Jack managed everything perfectly, melting into the background, clearing up and making the medical checks that were needed, without intruding into their bubble.
Then the call came from Lynette’s husband, saying he’d received the photo that Cass had sent and was ready and waiting for a video call. Lynette was left alone for a few minutes to talk to him and show him their new son.
Cass waited outside the door, a sudden heaviness settling on her. However close she and Lynette were, however much her sister had needed her, it wasn’t her baby. It was Lynette and Steven’s. Their joy. One that she would only ever feel second-hand.
This wasn’t the time. There were too many special moments ahead for her to spoil with her own selfishness. And they came soon enough. The moment when Jack helped Lynette to encourage her son to feed, and he finally got the hang of what he was supposed to do. The moment when his eyelids flickered open and Cass stared for the first time into his pale blue eyes.
‘Do you have a name for him yet?’ Jack was busy repacking his medical bag.
‘We did have. But we’ve decided on something different.’ Lynette smiled. ‘We reckon Noah.’
‘Very appropriate.’ Jack chuckled.
‘Is Jack a nickname for John?’ She was beginning to tire now, and had lost the thread of what she was saying a couple of times already.
‘Yep. Named after my grandfather. They used to call him Jack as well.’
‘Noah John has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?’
Jack turned. ‘What does your husband think?’
‘Steven suggested it. What you did tonight meant everything, to both of us, and we’d really like to have your name as his middle name. If you don’t mind, that is.’
A broad grin spread over Jack’s face. ‘I’d be very honoured. Thank you.’ He walked over to the bed, bending down to stroke the side of little Noah’s face with his finger. The tiny baby opened his eyes, seeming to focus on Jack, although Cass knew that he couldn’t really focus on anything just yet.
‘Hey there, Noah.’ Jack’s voice was little more than a whisper. ‘We guys have to stick together, you know. Especially since we share a name now. What do you say we let your mum get a bit of rest?’
‘Will you and Cass look after him for me? I just want to close my eyes; I don’t think I can sleep.’
‘Of course.’ Sue had prepared the Moses basket that she’d used for her children and Jack took Noah, setting him down in the cradle. But he immediately began to fret and Jack picked him up again, soothing him.
‘Now what do we do?’ Cass whispered the words at Jack. Sue and Martin had quietly left at the first suggestion of sleep, and Lynette’s eyes had already drooped closed. It seemed that they were quite literally left holding the baby.
Jack chuckled quietly, nodding towards the easy chair in the corner of the room. ‘Sit down. Over there.’
‘Me?’ She was suddenly gripped with panic. ‘You want me to hold him?’
‘I’ve got things to do. And it’s about time he got acquainted with his aunt.’
It was almost a bitter thought. Holding her sister’s baby and not her own. But in the peace and quiet of the room, candles guttering in their holders and a bedside lamp casting a soft glow, it was easy to forget that. Cass plumped herself down in the chair, wondering what Jack was going to do next.
‘Suppose I drop him?’
‘You won’t.’ Jack seemed to be able to manage the baby in one arm while he picked up a pillow from the bed in the other hand, dropping it on to her lap. ‘Here you are. That’s right.’
The sudden closeness felt so good she wanted to cry out. Jack’s scent, mingling with that of a baby. Instinctively her arms curled around Noah and she rocked him gently, holding him against her chest. He fretted for a moment and then fell into a deep sleep.
‘I just want to wake him up. See his eyes again...’ She looked up at Jack and, when he smiled, Cass realised that all the wonder she felt must be written clearly on her face.
‘Yeah, I know. Let him sleep for a while; being born is a tiring business.’
Jack fetched a straight-backed chair from the kitchen and sat in the pool of light from the lamp, writing notes and keeping an eye on everyone. When Cass could tear her gaze from Noah, she watched Jack. Relaxed, smiling and unbearably handsome. She envied the shadows, which seemed to caress his face in recognition of a job well done.
When Noah woke and began to fuss a little, Lynette was immediately alert, reaching for her child. Jack delivered him to her and this time there were fewer grimaces and less messing around to get him to feed. Cass watched from the other side of the bed and, when he’d had enough and fallen back into sleep, she curled up with her sister on the bed, holding her hand until they both followed Noah’s example and slept.